In the U.S. when did it become a requirement to have a law school degree before taking the bar exam?

Question

If you look at the biographies of famous jurists in the past, many "read for the bar" after graduating from college. Some worked for judges while they studied, others studied independently. When did the states make it a requirement to actually go to a law school before being allowed to take the bar exam? What was the reasoning behind the change? What were the circumstances when this happened?

Answer 1

Depends on the state.

In California, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington, an applicant who has not attended law school may take the bar exam after study under a judge or practicing attorney for an extended period of time. This method is known as "reading law" or "reading the law".

New York requires that applicants who are reading the law must have at least one year of law school study.

Alabama, California, Massachusetts, and Tennessee, allow individuals to take the bar exam upon graduation from law schools approved by state bodies but not accredited by the American Bar Association.

Mandatory (Integrated) Bar
Most states, including California, Florida, Louisiana, Oregon, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington, require membership in the state's bar association to practice law there. This practice is called a having a Mandatory, Unified or Integrated Bar.

In Texas, for example, the "State Bar of Texas" is an agency of the judiciary and is under the administrative control of the Texas Supreme Court.

I hope this assists you.
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Answer 2

I do not know the circumstances that created this change. But, in the state of Texas, people could just read for the bar exam until 1971.